Inside Century Correctional Institution

September 3, 2014

Century Correctional Institution recently offered community members an inside look at what goes on inside the facility, plus insight into how the prison gives back to the community.

A great deal of what happens daily inside Century CI is targeted toward preparing and reforming prisoners for life outside the facility. The ultimate goal is to reduce recidivism — former prisoners returning to prison. Florida’s recidivism rate has dropped from 30.5 percent in 2011 to 27.6 percent in 2013. Approximately 90.3 percent of offenders who complete community supervision do not return to custody or supervision within three years.

The main unit at Century CI has a total capacity of 1,508 inmates. Currently, about 300 of those are service life sentences. Over 600 other inmates are housed under the supervision of the Century Correctional Institution in the Century Work Camp, Berrydale Forestry Camp and the Pensacola Community Release Center. The average prisoner in Century is serving 5.21 years and is about 38 years old.

Locally, Century Correctional Institution currently employs 341 security staff; of which 210 reside in Escambia County, 74 in Santa Rosa, six in Okaloosa and  48 live in Alabama. The facilities annual budget is just under $17 million.

For a photo gallery, click here.

Work squads from Century CI and the Berrydale Forestry Camp provide inmate labor for numerous agencies, including Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, the Department of Transportation, Century, Jay and Gulf Breeze — resulting in a $3.1 million savings for taxpayers. Additional, Century CI inmates work on the campuses of local schools including Bratt Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle and Northview High. Prisoner work squads are only allowed on school campuses when no students are present.

Volunteers from the outside also assist inside the prison, with 3,294 volunteer hours recorded in the first half of 2014.

Through a partnership with the UF/IFAS program, prisoners have raised 647,968 pounds of produce such as tomatoes, collards, turnips, sweet corn, cabbage and watermelon valued at $925 thousand.

Statewide the Community Partnership Meetings such as the one held at Century Correctional  aim to open avenues of communication and build strong relationships between the correctional institutions and local communities.

“I look forward to the upcoming session and being able to assist the Department in addressing many of the issues that I have heard and seen today,” Rep. Mike Hill said following the tour, while commending staff “on an outstanding job they do every day in keeping our communities safe.”

For a photo gallery, click here.

Pictured top: Open bunks in a prison dorm at Century Correctional Institution. Pictured top inset: Inside a more secure housing unit. Pictured below: Community leaders tour a housing unit inside Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photos. click to enlarge.

Comments

2 Responses to “Inside Century Correctional Institution”

  1. CO1 on September 4th, 2014 8:30 am

    @bama

    Because it’s cruel and in humane for them not to be provided basic living necessities. Would you want your loved one(s) sleeping on the floor?

  2. bama on September 3rd, 2014 9:13 am

    really why do they have beds punish no repeat guest

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News